Vatican City

Get to know Vatican City

Vatican City, officially the Vatican City State , often shortened as the Vatican, is a landlocked sovereign city-state in Southern Europe. Ruled by the pope, it is an enclave within the city of Rome, Italy, and serves as the administrative centre of the Catholic Church. Vatican City is governed by the See of Rome, commonly known as the Holy See, itself a sovereign entity under international law, which maintains its temporal power, governance, diplomacy, and spiritual independence. Vatican is also used as a metonym for the Holy See, which is the central governing body of the Catholic Church and Vatican City, comprising the pope and the Roman Curia. The independent state of Vatican City came into existence in 1929 via the Lateran Treaty between the Holy See and the Kingdom of Italy, which spoke of it as a creation, not as a vestige of the much larger Papal States , which had previously encompassed much of Central Italy.

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Compare Vatican City for seasonal weather, housing and everyday journeys. Open its guide for the local introduction, monthly climate and sources.

Planning a move or a longer stay

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Understanding national conditions

These figures describe Vatican City as a whole. Check the dates when comparing these national indicators with current local conditions.